Man asked for 50c before fatal stabbing, court hears

Pam has been at the Daily Mercury since March 2013 and has also worked as a journalist in Batemans Bay and Wellington both in NSW. And yes, that does make her a Blues supporter. Growing up she moved around different places including Sydney, Moree, Wollongong and lived for about two years as a high school student on a small island in Micronesia called Pohnpei. Pam loves water sports, including SCUBA diving, snorkelling and kayaking but her awful balance means she’ll never touch a surf board. Ever...

"ALL of this for 50 cents" is what one witness heard Mark Hemmings say as he was being attacked with a pole minutes before he was allegedly stabbed to death, a jury has been told.

Mr Hemmings, 49, was stabbed to death while walking home from Caboolture bar Trader Dukes with his partner in December 2012.

It is alleged the man who killed him, Jamie Lloyd Murray, asked him for 50 cents before they started arguing and Mr Hemmings was attacked with a bike seat attached to a pole and later stabbed.

On the first day of his murder trial at Brisbane Supreme Court the jury was told Mr Murray had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder.

Prosecutor David Meredith said this meant Mr Murray had admitted to unlawfully killing to Mr Hemmings and that it would be up to the jury to decide whether he intended to kill the man.

In his opening Mr Meredith said Mr Hemmings and his partner were walking home after at about 8.40pm on December 17 2012 when Mr Murray, who was riding his bike, allegedly approached them.

The men argued and Mr Hemmings was allegedly hit with the bike pole. Mr Murray then allegedly went to his house nearby, grabbed a knife and confronted the couple again near Bluebell Park, the jury heard.

It is alleged Mr Murray hit Mr Hemmings again with the bike pole before stabbing him in the chest.

Mr Meredith said the weapon was never found and that when questioned by police later, Mr Murray admitted he didn't mean to stab Mr Hemmings in the chest.

Mr Murray also said at the time he had been racially abused, the court heard.

Mr Murray's defence barrister Stephen Courtney said his client had accepted criminal responsibility and he asked the jury to consider evidence carefully, especially Mr Murray's demeanour in a recorded police interview which will be played during the trial.